Boris Johnson has sent a troubling message to Scottish Tories

The sacking of David Mundell as Scottish Secretary has left Ruth Davidson’s Tories reeling. The response is not tribal or even ideological; Brexiteers and Remainers alike regard his replacement Alister Jack as a good sort. What most are still struggling to fathom is the thinking behind Mundell’s punting. Of course, he is an opponent of no deal — Jack, by contrast, has taken the pledge and says he could support a crash-out Brexit — but he was seen as hard-working and effective in the Scotland Office. He knew the brief, had the experience and was well-briefed in the tactics of the SNP. 

Scottish Tories are so unsettled by the move, I’m told, because Mundell had a more direct hand in the revival of the party north of the border than has hitherto been appreciated. A senior party source tells me:

‘It seems ironic that without David Mundell, there would never have been 13 Scottish MPs returned in 2017 and without the Scottish MPs, Jeremy Corbyn would already be in Downing Street.